Hi Guys & Gals,
Well I was crusing thru a local online auction and I found an auction lot that had a brand new sharpening stone that I needed, a few Sears screwdrivers and a Craftsman tombstone box. I bid to get the sharpening stone. I won the auction for $4.09 and thought I would keep the stone and "re-auction" the box next time I took stuff to the auction. I left the box on my bench and it kept staring at me like a dog with a ball in its mouth. It had that look of restore me pleeese!
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The more I looked at the box the more I liked it, I have bid on some nice tombstones and lost and missed a few on CL. I like the smaller longer box. So I decided to keep it and do a budget resto. By budget I will weld up the 6 holes and repaint. I will not replace handle or latch. My only cost will be paint.
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The box was really straight and almost no dents or rust.
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First order of business was to remove the stickers, the NOVA emblem and weld up the holes.
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Next was a run through the sandblaster and a little bondo on the weld repairs
View media item 57481
I removed the Sears Craftsman tag. I will pop rivet back on with 1/8" inch rivet so I had to drill the holes a little bigger.
View media item 57483
Then a coat of self etching primer. Since I live in Michigan and keep the heat in the barn in the 50's I use a hair dryer to speed up the paint drying.
View media item 57486
Final paint was with Hammered Silver. I think the Hammered Gray is closer to the original paint but I like the silver.
View media item 57487
I painted the latch and handle brackets becuase they had surface rust. Others on GJ have replaced them with new and re riveted. Those boxes look fantastic but I am going to use this box so painting the original was OK for me for this box.
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A little Armorall did wonders for the black plastice handle.
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Next I pop riveted the tag back on. Original rivets were solid but I don't have any equipment to do solid rivets.
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Lastly I hit the hinge with some lube.
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The finished box ready for service again.
View media item 57496View media item 57494
An interesting thing I noticed about this box. As we all know it gets its nickname for the shape of the end. It looks like a tombstone.
View media item 57499
But why does the end of a tombstone toolbox have breather holes??? Its funny, a tombstone is associated with death yet it has breather holes
View media item 57498
Greg
Well I was crusing thru a local online auction and I found an auction lot that had a brand new sharpening stone that I needed, a few Sears screwdrivers and a Craftsman tombstone box. I bid to get the sharpening stone. I won the auction for $4.09 and thought I would keep the stone and "re-auction" the box next time I took stuff to the auction. I left the box on my bench and it kept staring at me like a dog with a ball in its mouth. It had that look of restore me pleeese!
View media item 57475
The more I looked at the box the more I liked it, I have bid on some nice tombstones and lost and missed a few on CL. I like the smaller longer box. So I decided to keep it and do a budget resto. By budget I will weld up the 6 holes and repaint. I will not replace handle or latch. My only cost will be paint.
View media item 57473
The box was really straight and almost no dents or rust.
View media item 57476
First order of business was to remove the stickers, the NOVA emblem and weld up the holes.
View media item 57479
Next was a run through the sandblaster and a little bondo on the weld repairs
View media item 57481
I removed the Sears Craftsman tag. I will pop rivet back on with 1/8" inch rivet so I had to drill the holes a little bigger.
View media item 57483
Then a coat of self etching primer. Since I live in Michigan and keep the heat in the barn in the 50's I use a hair dryer to speed up the paint drying.
View media item 57486
Final paint was with Hammered Silver. I think the Hammered Gray is closer to the original paint but I like the silver.
View media item 57487
I painted the latch and handle brackets becuase they had surface rust. Others on GJ have replaced them with new and re riveted. Those boxes look fantastic but I am going to use this box so painting the original was OK for me for this box.
View media item 57488
A little Armorall did wonders for the black plastice handle.
View media item 57491
Next I pop riveted the tag back on. Original rivets were solid but I don't have any equipment to do solid rivets.
View media item 57501
Lastly I hit the hinge with some lube.
View media item 57500
The finished box ready for service again.
View media item 57496View media item 57494
An interesting thing I noticed about this box. As we all know it gets its nickname for the shape of the end. It looks like a tombstone.
View media item 57499
But why does the end of a tombstone toolbox have breather holes??? Its funny, a tombstone is associated with death yet it has breather holes
View media item 57498
Greg
